Mystery comedy ‘39 Steps’ opens Oct. 9

Acclaimed play was made into one of best British films of all time

PASADENA, Texas — The San Jacinto College Central theatre and film department will present “The 39 Steps,” a fast-paced mystery comedy based on a 1915 adventure novel by John Buchan.

The show is described as a mix of a Hitchcock masterpiece and a juicy spy novel, with a dash of “Monty Python.” It is also billed as a fast-paced whodunit that is packed with nonstop laughs, over 150 zany characters, an on-stage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers, and some good old-fashioned romance. The novel was adapted as a British movie in 1935 that was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. In 2004, “Total Film” named “The 39 Steps” the 21st greatest British movie of all time. In 2007, the play won the Laurence Olivier Best Comedy award. It won two Tony and Drama Desk awards in 2008.

The cast includes San Jacinto College theatre students, as well as community residents. Alex Martinez, a freshman at San Jacinto College, plays the male lead character of Hannay. The graduate of Cy-Creek High School has performed in numerous productions, including “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” and “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Guest artist Catherine Massoe of Dickinson, a 19-year-old who recently returned to Texas after living in the Netherlands since she was 8, portrays the female lead role of Pamela. She has performed in five Shakespeare in modern English plays.

The director for “The 39 Steps” is San Jacinto College theatre professor Brian Hamlin, a versatile actor and director who has performed with the Alley, Main Street, and Stages Repertory theaters, as well as various festival companies such as Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival, and Revels Houston.

“The 39 Steps” will be performed Oct. 9, 10, 11, and 12 with a 7:30 p.m. curtain. There will be one matinee performance on Oct. 13 at 2:30 p.m. All shows will take place in Slocomb Auditorium, located at 8060 Spencer Hwy., in Pasadena. General admission is $10 per person, with a discount of $8 per person for those who buy and pick up tickets two days in advance of any show. To make reservations, please call the box office at 281-476-1828.

San Jacinto College offers theatre degrees and classes at the South and Central campuses. The Central Campus also offers degrees and classes in film and video production. For more information about fine arts programs at San Jacinto College, please visit arts.sanjac.edu.

About San Jacinto College

Surrounded by monuments of history, industries and maritime enterprises of today, and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has been serving the citizens of East Harris County, Texas, for more than 50 years. The Achieving the Dream Leader College is committed to the goals and aspirations of a diverse population of 30,000 students in more than 200 degree and certificate options, including university transfer and career preparation. Students also benefit from the College’s job training programs, renowned for meeting the needs of growing industries in the region. San Jacinto College graduates contribute nearly $630 million each year to the Texas workforce. San Jacinto College. Your Goals. Your College.

For more information about San Jacinto College, please call 281-998-6150 or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.